Bertera Automotive Training: Car Accidents 101

Bertera automotive training accidents 101
 
Fender benders are the absolute worst but being prepared for one is the exact opposite! Getting into a car accident is a scary experience, especially for new drivers. That is why it’s important to try your best to remain calm while the authorities handle the situation. Thankfully you can be prepared for the worst! Follow these simple tips to cover yourself in case of an accident.

1) Do not leave the accident.
There are no circumstances in which you should flee the scene of an accident. Should your vehicle create a safety hazard, or if you’re concerned about the safety of yourself or others, move your vehicle off the road or to a safer place. Be sure to drive extremely safe and apply your hazard lights when moving a vehicle that has been in an accident.

2) Make sure there are no injuries.
If injuries are present on anyone involved in the accident, contact an ambulance and make sure that the people involved receive proper medical attention. Unless you are qualified to perform first aid or a medical treatment do not try to do so.

3) Contact the police and follow any instructions they may provide.
When contacting the police try to remain calm and provide as much information as possible. Should they provide instructions make sure you follow them exactly as described as they may help protect you in the long run.

4) Do not admit fault. Do not blame the other driver even it is completely their fault. Avoid arguments at all costs.
Arguments can drastically escalate a situation. The goal after a car accident is to remain calm and to make sure everyone is ok.

5) Collect the name, address, and contact info of any and all witnesses.
When it comes time to report to your insurance company or appear in court you may be asked if there were any witnesses. Should you collect their contact information you won’t have to worry about locating the witnesses after the event.

6) Do not talk to anyone about the accident except for the safety officials (Police, Ambulance, Firefighters, etc.)
It is very important to watch what you say and who you say it to after a car accident. Be sure to only express details about the car accident with safety officials.

7) Do not make a false settlement, or lie to avoid contacting the police or insurance company.
To ensure the car accident is handled appropriately it is extremely important to make sure the police and insurance company know exactly what happened.

8) The police will take your report of the accident, it is essential that you provide as many details as possible to the officer.
While you are still at the scene of the car accident the memories will most likely still be fresh in your head. Be sure to follow any instructions the police officer may provide.

9) Double check to make sure the police report contains the following:
• Name(s) of those involved
• Address(s) of those involved
• Time
• Phone number(s) of those involved
• Make of vehicle(s) involved
• License number(s) of the other driver(s) and all passengers.

Do you have any dents, dings, or damage to your vehicle? Give the Bertera Collision Repair Center a call and they can get your vehicle spruced up in no time! Click here for more information.

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Would you Buy the Same Vehicle Again?

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Consumer Reports has conducted their Annual Owner Satisfaction Survey, which included about 230,000 vehicles that are less than 3 years old. Consumers were asked if they would purchase the exact same vehicle again if they had to make that choice again. There are many factors that go into buying a new car like safety ratings, fuel efficiency, performance, and appearance. Click on the tabs below to find out which vehicles ranked highest in their class.

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Prepare Your Car For Mother Nature

Prepare your car for momma nature

By this time last year we already had a few feet of snow on the ground. For motorists, that might imply some difficult and unsafe driving conditions.

Be prepared for winter season driving by taking your automobile to a qualified vehicle technician, like those at a Bertera Service Center. An automobile examination will make sure that the engine, battery, exhaust system, heating and defrosting systems are all in good working order, and will see to it that the automobile’s main fluids are at the right levels.

If you are on the road when mother nature strikes, there are things you can do to remain safe. Initially, decrease your speed, taking it sluggish offers you more time to stop and enhances tire traction.

Never ever pump the brake pedal on a car with an anti-lock brake system (ABS), given that the system itself “pumps” the brakes immediately. ABS is created to enable you to continue to steer the vehicle while in a panic by not permitting the wheels to lock up.

In addition, attire your automobile with the right tires during the winter season. Winter tires are technologically advanced to deal with extreme winter season driving conditions.

Winter season tires have tread patterns and compounds that decrease the danger of slipping. Deeper treads on winter season tires permit the tires to dig into the snow and propel your car through it.

Don’t forget to examine your tire pressure weekly during the cooler months. As outside temperatures drop, the air pressure inside a tire decreases. When the automobile has been driven less than a mile or has not moved in more than three hours, check your tires.

By following these basic steps you will be better prepared when Mother Nature strikes.

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Source(s): Youtube.com

Should I Replace my Shocks or Struts?

Shocks and struts influence the control and handling characteristics of your vehicle while holding the tires to the road. They control the action of the spring to resist bottoming out– like when you hit a pothole– and keep the movement of the springs under control when they rebound. Without shocks and struts, a vehicle would continually bounce and bound down the road, making driving difficult.

“It is important that shocks and struts are in top condition during the Fall/Winter months,” says James Plogger, vice president of sales for Gabriel Ride Control Products, Inc. “It is recommended that vehicle owners have their vehicles’ ride control systems checked by an ASE certified service technician.”

How They Work

Shocks provide resistance by forcing hydraulic fluid (oil) through valves in the piston as it moves up and down. Because the oil can not be compressed, only a certain amount of fluid can be forced through these valves, which creates resistance to the vehicle movement.

How to Tell if Shocks and Struts Need Replacement

Under normal conditions, shocks and struts wear out gradually. Many factors can affect how much wear is actually occurring and at what rate it is occurring.

“For example, two people buy the same vehicle new off the dealer lot– one lives in the city close to the office, and drives mostly on straight roads. The other lives in the country, 45 miles from the office and must travel 10 of those miles on a winding, often muddy gravel road. Because shocks operate in an extremely hostile under-vehicle environment, where anything from gravel to ice, and snow to grit can affect the life of the product, it is a good bet that driver number two will need to replace his shocks long before driver number one,” explains Plogger.

The piston rod can easily be nicked or damaged by flying gravel allowing grit and dirt to damage the piston seal.

Among signs of worn shocks or struts:

Do you experience excessive bounce (three or more bounces) when crossing an intersection?
When stopping quickly does your vehicle rock back and forth?
While applying your brakes firmly at higher speeds, does your vehicle drift left or right?
When changing lanes quickly does your vehicle rock or sway from side to side?

Many components contribute to handling. Having your vehicle inspected by a Subaru Certified Technician if you experience any of the above signs is good preventive maintenance.

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Fill-A-Forester Toy Drive Event • Make-A-Wish of Mass/RI • Bertera Subaru of West Springfield

On Saturday the twelfth of December, Make-A-Wish of Massachusetts and Rhode Island joined us for our Fill-A-Forester toy drive! We had a blast playing games, eating food, and taking pictures all while collecting donations for the toy drive. WEEI 105.5 FM and KIX 100.9 were both there as well! We were able to collect a large number of toys for less fortunate kids this holiday season and you helped make the difference. We were even joined by other Make-A-Wish Children from past events! The toy drive went very well and we can’t wait for next year’s celebration! Enjoy some of our favorite pictures from the event below.

MA & RI-BLACK

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Battery Maintenance

  

All Subaru vehicles are equipped with maintenance-free batteries. The term “maintenance-free” can be misleading – as these batteries do require some attention to maintain their cleanliness and efficiency.

It is extremely important to have your car’s battery checked by a Subaru-trained technician regularly. A battery check will include an examination of cable connections for cleanliness and tightness. Loose or corroded connections can dramatically diminish your car’s starting power; and if the connections grow loose or crusty enough, they can shut off your car’s electrical flow entirely and leave you thinking you have a dead battery.

High temperatures also reduce the efficiency at which a battery is recharged.

Fall/Winter driving conditions frequently require the use of A/C for extended periods while driving at slow speeds. This additional load requires the charging system to work properly so that it sufficiently charges the battery the next time you start your car’s engine. For this reason, your service technician should also check your battery’s charging system and voltage regulator, and inspect your vehicle’s alternator to ensure that all components are operating properly.

When should I purchase new tires?

  

We all know that tires wear. There are certain things you, as an owner, can do to help minimize this wear.

Keep your tires properly inflated. This is perhaps the single most important thing you can do. Information on correct tire inflation pressure is provided in your owner’s manual and on a placard on the driver’s door pillar. How often you check your tire inflation is up to you. As a rule of thumb, tires should be checked every time you fill your car with gas. Remember that tires should be checked when cold since tire pressure will increase as the tires warm up.

Rotate your tires regularly. SUBARU recommends tires should be rotated every 7,500 miles. These are recommended intervals only. Your actual driving conditions may warrant more frequent rotation. Factors such as road surfaces, driving techniques/habits, vehicle loading, and weather, to name just a few, can all have an effect on tire wear.

Tire Replacement. The wheels and tires are important and integral parts of your vehicle’s design; they cannot be changed arbitrarily. The tires fitted as standard equipment are optimally matched to the characteristics of the vehicle and were selected to give the best possible combination of running performance, ride comfort, and service life. It is essential for every tire to have a size and construction as well as a speed symbol and load index matching those shown on the tire placard. Using tires of a non-specified size detracts from controllability, ride comfort, braking performance and speedometer and odometer accuracy. It also creates incorrect body-to-tire clearances and inappropriately changes the vehicle’s ground clearance. All four tires must be the same in terms of manufacturer, brand (tread pattern), construction, and size. You are advised to replace the tires with new ones that are identical to those fitted as standard equipment.

For safe vehicle operation, SUBARU recommends replacing all four tires at the same time. WARNING: All four tires must be the same in terms of manufacturer, brand (tread pattern), construction, degree of wear, speed symbol, load index and size. Mixing tires of different types, sizes or degrees of wear can result in damage to the vehicle’s power train. Use of different types or sizes of tires can also dangerously reduce controllability and braking performance and can lead to an accident. Use only radial tires. Do not use radial tires together with belted bias tires and/or bias-ply tires. Doing so can dangerously reduce controllability which can result in an accident.

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When should I get a tune-up?

  

Does Your Car Need a Tune-up?

A couple of years have passed since you had your Subaru tuned up. But is it really running smoothly? As you drive each day, observe any changes in its performance. There may be good reasons to get a tune-up sooner than you think.

If you are used to do-it-yourself maintenance, some of today’s computerized controls may not make possible problems as obvious to you as they were in the past. That’s why preventative diagnosis is so important to keep your Subaru running trouble-free for years.

If you detect a change in your car’s performance, however, call your Subaru technician right away!

  • Hard Starting. The most common car trouble, usually due to neglected maintenance. If the starter cranks the engine, the electrical system is probably okay. The problem could be as simple as a starting sensor (or the choke mechanism if applicable).
  • Knocking. A noise usually heard when the engine is “under load,” like during acceleration or climbing a hill. It can be caused by inferior fuel, but is often a sign your engine needs attention. Many cars now have knock sensors built in to correct minor problems, but they can’t compensate for larger malfunctions that could result in engine damage.
  • Rough Running. This can be caused by a problem in the fuel or ignition system, or by a troubled valve or piston. Tell your technician when it occurs: When idling? During acceleration? At all speeds?
  • Poor Gas Mileage. Keep track of your mileage. Changes may be due to underinflated tires, engine running too cold, transmission malfunction, dragging brakes or misaligned wheels.
  • Stalling. Causes can include incorrect idle speed, adjustments, malfunctioning sensor or switch, dirty fuel system parts, worn spark plugs or other engine deficiencies. Take note: Does the engine stall when hot? Cold? With air conditioning on?
  • Dieseling. Also known as “after-run.” The engine keeps chugging and coughing for a few seconds after you shut off the ignition. Causes can range from inferior gasoline and high idle speed to carbon in the combustion chamber.
  • Power Loss. A dirty fuel filter commonly causes power loss. Preventative maintenance can help.

Don’t Ignore Small Warning Signs! Take preventative measures before there are problems … call your Subaru technician when it’s tune-up time.

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SUV and Wagon Performance in Snow • Consumer Reports

Consumer Reports asked their subscribers to rate their everyday vehicles’ performance in snowy weather. The results from the survey revealed that some AWD and 4WD systems have an advantage over others. The list below is based on 47,982 subscriber ratings Consumer Reports collected from drivers who didn’t change to winter tires on at least six snowy days during the winter of 2014 – 2015 and drive a car manufactured between 2012 and 2015.

Snow traction (best listed first) Rank Make & model

1. Subaru Outback
2. Subaru XV CrosstrekA9R7D5A
3. Subaru Forester
4. Audi Q5
5. Chevrolet Suburban/GMC Yukon XL
6. Jeep Wrangler
7. Chevrolet Tahoe/GMC Yukon
8. Jeep Grand Cherokee
9. Toyota 4Runner
10. Ford Expedition
11. Volvo XC60
12. Ford Edge
13. Volkswagen Touareg
14. Buick Enclave
15. Lexus RX2016_CTK_photos_ext_20
16. Toyota Sequoia
17. Volvo XC70
18. Acura MDX
19. Lincoln MKX
20. Jeep Cherokee
21. Dodge Durango
22. Mercedes-Benz M-Class
23. Chevrolet Traverse/GMC Acadia
24. BMW X3
25. BMW X5
26. Ford Explorer2016_obk_photos_ext_20
27. BMW X128. Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class
29. Honda Pilot
30. Chevrolet Equinox/GMC Terrain
31. Toyota Highlander
32. Toyota Venza
33. Ford Escape
34. Mercedes-Benz GL-Class
35. Hyundai Santa Fe Sport
36. Toyota RAV4
37. Buick Encore
38. Honda Crosstour2016_for_photos_ext_23
39. Hyundai Santa Fe
40. Volkswagen Tiguan
41. Honda CR-V
42. Ford Flex
43. Nissan Murano
44. Mazda CX-5
45. Mazda CX-9
46. Cadillac SRX
47. Acura RDX
48. Infiniti JX, QX60
49. Nissan Pathfinder
50. Kia Sorento
51. Hyundai Tucson
52. Nissan Rogue
53. Nissan Juke
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Source(s): Consumer Reports

The Fill-A-FIAT Event is Almost Here!

 

Fillafiat
• October 12 – 19 •

We have partnered up with The Springfield Rescue Mission to create the Bertera Fill-A-FIAT Event! Help keep someone less fortunate warm this Winter. Stop at our Bertera Fiat location or by the Springfield Rescue Mission to drop off your gently used and clean coats!

What are you accepting?

We will be accepting clean and usable winter coats and jackets in ANY size. (Especially children’s coats!) At this time we’re only accepting coats but if you have other articles of clothing you’re looking to donate please visit The Springfield Rescue Mission’s Donation Panel for more information.

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Drop Off Locations

Bertera Fiat of West Springfield
657 Riverdale St.
West Springfield, 01089 Google Maps

Springfield Rescue Mission
19 Bliss St.
Springfield, 01105 Google Maps